Intermeshing sectional matting



Sept. 22, 1953 E. E. SMITH INTERMESHING SECTIONAL MATTING Edwin Excel Jm/"zf/z Filed Jan. 25, 1950 I N V EN TOR. 3m. 6. GM?

A TTOR/VE Y5 Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES .PTENT OFFICE INTERMESHING SECTIONAL MATTING Edwin Excel Smith, Eagle Lake, Tex.

Application January 25, 1950, Serial No. 140,377

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an intermeshing sectional matting for roadways and the like, and it also relates to driveways, ground level platforms, or walkways constructed of such matting.

It is an object of this invention to provide an intermeshing, sectional matting construction having ends which are adapted to be inter-fitted and aligned so as to provide supported and interfitted joints.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class having parallel extending upper and lower runners connected to, and supported by transverse members of substantially a length equal to the width across the runners.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an intermeshing matting construction of this class in which part of the upper runners terminate intermediate a transverse end member of a section, while the other part of the upper runners over-extend such member; and in which part of the lower runners of the section underextend the end transverse member, while the other part of the lower runners terminate below such member.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class in which the sections are designed to be intermeshing with the over-extending upper runners of one section resting upon the end transverse member of the adjacent section, and with the underextending lower runners thereof underlying the end transverse member of the adjacent section.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class having a unitary runner construction or 'a runner construction of longitudinally abutting runners, thereby eliminating runner interspaces, and this invention also considers an abutting or unitary transverse member construction, thereby eliminating interspaces between transverse members as well.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class in which parallel extending upper and lower runners are connected to spaced apart, transverse members thereinbetween.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class adapted to be employed as a roadway through soft or muddy terrain so that the terrain fills in the spaces between transverse members to form a cushion over which a supported load may pass.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an intermeshing sectional matting of this .5 class which is a ap d to permit such limited fiexibilityat the joints between sections to permit a roadway constructed of such matting to easily extend over sloped and uneven terrain.

It is also a further object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class which is adapted to be employed for walkways, driveways, ground level working platforms, and the like.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class in which the predetermined width of a matting section is greater than the sum of the widths across the parallel extending runners thereof, so that interspaces may be left between runners.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class which may be designed of a predetermined width, with the inter-space between adjacent, center parallel extending runners being of lesser width than such inter-space between adjacent and outer runners, to permit the easy alignment of theinter-fitted sections.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class which may also be employed in the construction of walls,

ceilings, elevated platforms and the like.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class in which the inter-space between adjacent, center parallel extending runners is greater than the interspaces between such center runners and the outer runners adjacent thereto.

\It is a further object of this invention to provide inter-fitting matting sections of this class which may be inter-connected by means, as nails, which connect the ends of the runners of one section to the end transverse member of the adjacent section.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class in which the connection between adjacent sections is made by the simple inter-fitting of the ends thereof, without nailing, or positively inter-connecting the adjacent sections.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class in which the section ends may be of a standard construction so that the end-over-end reversal of alternate sections provides adjacent section ends which may be easily interfitted and aligned.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class in which the inter-spaces between parallel runners provide breather passages for mud and formation from below.

It is also a further object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class in which runners of two (2) or more transverse widths may be used, while end sections may still be standardized.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a matting construction of this class in which sections standardized as to end construction need not be standardized as to length.

Other and further objects will be apparent when the specification is considered in connection with the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of one modification of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken along line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the modification shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4.- is a diagrammatic plan view showing the employment of the modification of Figs. 1 and 3, as an approach to a road; as a driveway; as a ground level platform; as a walkway;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a second modification of this invention;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a third modification of this invention.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a roadway i comprises matting sections extending longitudinally and intermeshed at the ends thereof. The sec-- tion 2 comprises the parallel extending top runners 3, l, 5, and B and the underlying and paraliel extending lower runners 1,8, 8, and it. In be tween the upper and lower runners are the trans verse members H, 12, and 13 to which the runners are connected, as by nails, not shown.

There are interspaces i4, i5, and 56 between runners, with the central interspace it being sub stantially smaller in width than the outer interspaces id and It, for purposes to be hereinafter described.

The section I? is constructed similarly to the section 2, and has the upper runners iii, 26, 2!, and 22 and the lower runners 23, 2t, 25, and 126, connected to the transverse members, as the end member iiand the member 21.

As shown in Figs. 1,, 2, and 3, the ends of the upper runners 3 and terminate intermediate the width of the end transverse member 13, while the upper runners 5 and 6 over-extendor extend beyond this member. On the other hand, the lower runners i and 8, which respectively underlie the upper runners 3 and e, under-extend or extend beyond the end transverse member it, while the lower runners -9 and Iii, which respectively underlie upper runners 5 and '6, terminate below and intermediately-of said transverse memher is.

On the end of section 2 opposite the transverse end member !3, the upper runners t3 and d extend beyond the end member H, and the upper runners 5 and E terminate 'intermed'iately thereof. The lower runners i and '8 terminate below and intermediately of the member H, and the lower runners 9 and I0 extend beyond such member.

With such construction all sections employed will intermesh at each end with adjacent sections. The terminal sections, as those shown for instance in Fig. i in the approach .36 adjacent the road 28, are made with flush ends 29, or as the occasion may require.

The sections are preferably made of inexpen sive lumber, and such construction is less expensive than any other type of conventional construction material which may be used for temporary roads, approaches, groundlevel platforms, walkways, and the like.

The standardized sections, when alternate sections are turned over end for end, are adapted to be intermeshed or interfitted. This feature enables a matting construction unit, as a roadway, to be placed most quickly, and in most cases it is not necessary to nail or positively connect the sections together, as the friction of interfitting is sufiicient for this purpose. Only on substantially sloped ground has it been found necessary to nail the interfitted section ends together.

An alternate construction is shown in Fig. 5 in which the runners 32, 33, 3d, and 35, respectively and alternately terminate on, or over extend the end transverse member 3%. On the other hand the runners 31, 38 (not shown), 39, and it, alternately and respectively under-extend and terminate under and below the transverse member 36. In this construction an inter-space, preferably the inter-space 45 may be of substantially less width than the outer inter-spaces 42 and 4.3. A third modification of this invention, as shown in Fig. 6, considers upper runners 46, 4'1, and 48, in which the outer runners terminate on the transverse member M, and in which the two central runners over-extend such end member. Conversely, a first lower runner d9, second and third lower runners (not shown), and a fourth lower runner 52 are provided so that the outer runners under-extend or extend beyond the transverse member M, .while the innor runners terminate under and intermediate of such transverse end member. In such con struction the outer inter-spaces 53 and 55 may be of substantially lesser width than the central inter-space 54.

It is herein pointed out that all of the runners employed in a section need not be of the same transverse width, but, as shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 6 part .of the .runnersrnay be of one width, while the other part may be of different widths. A combination of widthsfound practical in inexpensive lumber consists of .8 .inch planks and 10 inch planks employed as runners in the combination of .one section.

The inter-spaces serve dual functions of providing breather spaces through which the mud may ooze, and also through providing a means of aligning the sections with the minimum amount of deviation from the longitudinal of the whole unit. This .is obvious, since the transverse members must .be of greater over-all width than the total over-all width across the runners themselves, in order to provide the breather spaces. Thus, by limiting the width of a key inter-space, as the inter-space 1-5 in Fig. 3, H in Fig. 5, and 53 and 55 in Fig. '6, to substantially lesser width than the remaining inter-spaces of the individual sections, a minimum cross-playfromthecentral axis of the roadway is permitted.

Fig. 4 shows a typical usage of this invention in which the matting sections form the approach 30 to the finished road 28, and two (2) parallel,

spaced apart treadw-ays 56 and :Si, composed of the type of sections shown in 5|, provide means for heavy vehicles, as trucks, to cross a marshy area, as a rice field 58. The construction is also adaptable :as .in :59 to provide a ground level platform for vehicles adjacent an oil field -69. It also provides the driveway 6i, and the walkway 52, by which access may .be had to the oil field shed 63, and boilers '64.

Broadly, this invention considers an inexpensive matting construction which may be employed for roadways, and the like, which are to be hastily provided. The theory of interfitted elements is not limited, however, to the applications specifically set forth above, as the invention may be employed in the construction of walls, ceilings, floors, elevated platforms, as weii. Also, since the inventor considers novelty to reside in the interfitting section ends as well as in the provision of inter-spaces, it considers a unitary runner eonstruction or a runner construction in which the runners are in longitudinal abutment, and it also considers an abutting or unitary transverse or spacer member construction.

I claim:

1. An intermeshing sectionai matting section adapted for use in a roadway comprising at least one pair of parallel extending upper runners and one pair of lower runners extending parallel thereto, each of said lower runners lying under one of said upper runners, said runners extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said roadway, said runners being connected to spaced apart transverse members extending between said upper and lower runners, at least one of said upper runners terminating on a transverse member while the runner lying iereunder extends beyond said transverse member, and at least one of said upper runners extends beyond said transverse member while the lower runner lying thereunder terminates below said transverse member.

2. For use in a roadway of intermeshing sectional matting, a section of matting comprising parallel extending upper and lower runners positioned so that each of said upper runners overlies one of said lower runners, transverse members thereinbetween and secured to said upper and lower runners, alternate upper runners terminating on and extending beyond one of said transverse members while the corresponding underlying lower runners respectively extend beyond and terminate below said one transverse member, thereby forming one end of said section of matting, so that said end of said section is adapted to intermesh with a similar end of a second similar section to retain said sections of matting in alignment.

3. A section of intermeshing sectional matting for roadways comprising parallel upper and lower runners extending longitudinally of the roadway and adapted. to abut the transverse end surface of the runners of adjacent sections that may be placed at either end thereof, each of said lower runners lying under one of said upper runners,

spaced apart members between said upper and lower runners extending transversely of the roadway, at least one of said upper runners terminating on one of said transverse members while those lower runners which lie thereunder extend beyond said one transverse member, the remaining ones of said upper runners extend beyond said one transverse member while the lower runners which lie thereunder terminate below said one transverse member, and means connecting said runners to said members.

4. A section of intermeshing sectional matting for roadways comprising longitudinal upper and lower layers of runners, each of said lower run ners lying under one of said upper runners, transverse members between said upper and said lower layers of runners, some of said upper runners terminating on a said transverse member while the lower runners lying thereunder extend beyond said member, remaining ones of said upper runners extending beyond said transverse member while the lower runners lying thereunder terminate below said transverse member, and means connecting said runners to said members as a mat.

5. A section of intermeshing sectional matting comprising, at least three parallel extending upper and lower runners connected by transverse members thereinbetween, each of said lower runners lying under one of said upper runners, the outer upper runners terminating on a transverse member while at least one central upper runner extends beyond said member, the outer lower runners extending beyond said member, while the runner below said central upper runner terminates below said member.

6. A section of intermeshing sectional matting comp-rising, four parallel extending upper runners overlying four parallel extending lower runners, said upper and lower runners being connected to spaced apart transverse members thereinbetween, an adjacent pair of said upper runners terminating on one transverse member while the other pair of said upper runners extends beyond said one transverse member, the corresponding pairs of lower runners respectively extending beyond and terminating below said transverse member.

EDWIN EXCEL SMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,295,248 Wittner Sept. 8, 1942 2,302,962 Laucks et a1 Nov. 24, 1942 

